A Russian-made prototype of a hoverbike has made its first public
test flight at the Moscow Raceway track near the city of Volokolamsk.

HoverBike S3, a hybrid of a quadcopter and a motorbike designed by
Russian company HoverSurf, covered the distance of 1 km at an average
altitude of one meter.

‘Drones have conquered the world: they are used for aerial video
footage and monitoring. And it is quite natural to start using them for
transporting people,” HoverSurf director general Alexander Atamanov, who
is also the project’s chief designer, said on Saturday.

He added that a passenger drone, controlled by a computer, would be an easy-to-use solution to the transport problem.

“The only chance of solving the transport problem is to open the
airspace for a compact and environmentally-friendly aircraft like a
hoverbike or an air taxi,” he said.

HoverBike S3, designed by Russian engineers, has an
environmentally-friendly electric engine. Its batteries can hold enough
charge for a 30-minute flight and require four hours to be fully
charged.

The aircraft weights about 100 kg and can lift up to 150 kg. So far,
it can fly at the maximum altitude of five meters, at the speed of up to
70 kmph.

“Even with its present specifications, the drone performs quite well at temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius,” Atamanov said.

It can be controlled manually or remotely via a radio channel, or
even take an independent flight to a location designated via GPS
coordinates.

“Our hoverbike can be carried through any door and can be stored at
home or even in an apartment. It can use a standard parking space, and
requires no special site for takeoff or landing. That’s why its
widespread use is around the corner,” Atamanov said.